Automatic train-pipe coupling.



J. V. ROBINSON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED DEc.19.l9l2. RENEwEDSEPT. 13, 19u.

15,245,778., Patented NV. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

atto/(maid- I. V. ROBINSON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEc..19.,1.9,12. RENEwEDsEPT. 13, |917. 1,245,778.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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JOSEPH v. RoBINsoN, or BRANFORD, coNNEcTIcuT.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING'.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted NV, 6, 19717,

Application led. December 19, 1.912, Serial No. 737,728. RenewedSeptember 13, 1917.. Serial No. 191,305.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known'that 1,'JosiiPH V. RoBnvsoN, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Branford, inthe county of New Haven, State of Conn.,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticTrain-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipecouplersfor railway cars and has for its `objectt'oprodi1ce an improvedtrain pipe coupler of the pin and Vfunnel construction provided with animproved support Vfor the couplinghead which permits free universalmovement thereof, whereby in coupling the heads are accuratelyalined'with socket vportions ofV their guiding membersV in advance ofseating therein, whereby the last inch or so of Inovement of the headsin coupling is strictly parallel. With this construction an air tightjoint between matingconnector facesobtains -under all conditions ofservice, withoutthe use of auxiliary locks or Vcomplex parts. y

The invention consists in the novel 4combinations improvements andconstructions hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claimsand `illustrated Vin the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is aside elevation of 'a fpart'of aca-r coupler with one of my improvedVconnectors attached.

- Fig. 2, is a front face view of theconnector shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, Yis a detail view of the connection between the base of myimproved connector and the bracket of the car, andf Fig. 4, isahorizontal section oftwo of the improved couplings connected,'showingthe construction of their gathering means and socket portion.

. Referring tothe drawings: The car coupler 10 is provided with a lug 11to which a bracket 12 is .suitably connected, the bracket being offsetat 12a to pass around the lug 11 and .form a seat therefor. An abutment12b, integral with the bracket, engages the base A between the twohalves thereof, and sup'- ports the same against longitudinal shifting,serving also to free the bolts l'tofthe shearing strains of service; seeFigs. 1 and 3. This produces a construction in which `a standard form ofbase A can be eiiiciently connected with a lug 11 and centrallysupported therefrom relative to the car coupler, regardless of theposition ofthelug on the coupler; that is the depth, or width, of theseat portion of the offset 12a which extends beneath the lug 1 1 ywillbe such that when the bracket is securedin position the base carrledthereby will Ybe properly located with reference-to the coupler.

The said base A'comprises two halves 13, each of which is provided withan overhanging portion 16 that conforms to the contour of thebase coilof the lbu'fi'er spring 17, around which they are securelyv clamped bythefbolts 14 and 15,. i Thel said springl? consists of a `series ofcoils of gradually decreasing diameter, coiled preferably of a flat barhaving a common thickness and a taperingwidth, 'whereby the metal of theseveral coils is thinner radially Vthan axially.

The small end of 'the spring supports, extended away from the base'A, acoupling head B of the pin and funnel type, in which a funnel 18 isprovided with acylindrical portion 19 adaptedto snugly 'receiveacorrespondingly shaped portion 20fof a forwardly extending guiding pinor prong' 21 of al1-opposing coupling.` l.

This arrangement comprehends a highly advantageous construction in whicha pin and funnel coupling head is supported for free universalmovementfrom the normal position by a spring which imparts toA the head avaryingresistance increasingV 'in greater progression than the extent of suchmovement; Vthe resistance to longitudinal ately, than that offered byaspringof differ- -ent construction. In this manner the minimumresistance'is presented to lateral shifting of coupled heads,greatlyreducing the strains thereupon thattend strongly, to` separatethe heads, causedvby the sharp whipping movements of running. cars. Thisfree universal vsupport of the head allowsy the latter to yield readilyto the guidingaction of the pin and funnel throughout their entire rangeof movement in coupling, insuring that the relativemovement between thecylindrical portions 19Y and-20 of engaging couplers will be strictly"parallel under all conditions of service, thereby obtaining 'a close tbetween these members, constituting a positive interlocked connection,whichwill prevent leaks and"openingup 7'of the coupling headsin running;see especially Fig. t.

In those constructions where thecoupling head B is held against downwardmovement at moment of initial engagement, this interlock cannot beobtained, for in such designs when one car is higher than another, theextremity of the guiding pin 21 enters the apex of the funnel 18 at anangle to the longitudinal laxis thereof, necessitating that the openingin the apex be larger than the said extremity, thus destroying allpossibility of a firm interlock therebetween, and rendering parallelmovement of the guiding prongs 21 relative to the apex of the funnels 18impossible, in coupling on uneven tracks. The present construction isfree from these objections, allowing free universal movement of thecoupling head from the normal position, as stated, and permitting ofsuch movement without axial compression of the spring 17.

` Any suitable conduit for directing a fluid to the coupling head B maybe used with myimproved support. For this purpose I show a conduit orpipe 22 having an en.- larged end 23 extending through the cou.- plinghead and carrying an oscillating gasket 24 of suitable material,preferably nonyielding. In coupling the gasket mates with acorrespondingly shaped gasket in a coun.- terpart head, and to insureagainst possible leakage, I provide the gasket with an auxiliary gasketor sealing member 25 and mount it in an undercut seat 2G in the firstmentioned gasket. A retaining ring 2i' of suitable construction retainsthe gasket in the pipe 22.

To prevent undue rotary movement ofthe coupling head B, I provide thepipe with a flattened or oblong portion L8 which extends through anoblong opening 29 in the base A and fits closely therein. T o preventundue movement of the coupling head forwardly of the base, I mount onthe rear end of the pipe 22 a suitable elbow 30 for receiving the trainpipe hose 31, and provided with a shoulder 32 for abutting the rear faceof the base A to prevent, as aforesaid, undue forward movement of thecoupling head B.

Thus I provide a simple and' efficient support for a pin and funnelcoupling head which will permit universal movement and automaticinterlocking thereof without jamming or binding strains and maintain anefficient air tight connection under all conditions of service.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a railway car draft coupler having a dependinglug, of a supporting bracket comprising two substantially verticalsections connected by an intermediate offset adapted to receive saidlug, the upper section being secured against a side face ofthe lug, anda train pipe connector base having a bifurcated upper end which receivesthe lower end of said bracket, and is secured thereto, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. The combination with a railway car draft coupler having a dependingbracket, .of a train pipe connector base bolted to the bracket, andmeans on the bracket, below the connection thereof with thel base,iengaging said base and acting to relieve the connecting bolts from shearingstrain when the connector is in use.

3, The combination with a railway car ldraft coupler having a dependingbracket, of a two part train pipe connector base having its membersextending on opposite sides of and bolted tothe bracket, and an abutment12b on the bracket bearing against the rear faces 'of both members ofsaid base, i l

for the purpose described;

4:. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a couplinghead provided with a gasket,'and` a spring'for extending said head andfor resisting longitudinal movement thereof with a greater'force than itimparts to lateralk movement of said head, said spring consisting of aseries off' coils of metal thinner radially thanV axially and having oneend seated substantially in the plane of' the coupling face of saidhead'.

5. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a couplinghead, and a spring for extending saidi headand for resisting movementvthereof with a' varying force increasing in greater progressionvr thanthe extent of such movement, said spring consisting, ofA a series ofcoilsof metal thinner radially than axially and varying in axialthickness.. i'

6. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a couplinghead, and 'a spring for extending said head and for placing the head-under pressure, said spring consisting of. a series of coils of metalVthinner radially than axially and varying in axial thickness.

7. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of asupportingbase, a coupling head, and a spiral springffor extending thehead interposed between said head and base andhaving its rearendseatedon the base, the metal ofthe coils of said spring being thinner radiallythan axially and tapering in axial` thickness from the rear to the frontendl of the spring.v

8. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination ofa couplinghead, a'spring consisting of a series of coils rectangular in crosssection maintained in supporting relationV to said head, a two-piecebase provided with a socket for closely receiving the base coils of saidspring, and means for. clamping the two pieces of said base together torlock said spring in said socket.

9. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination with a basehaving a central opening for a fluid pipe and a seat surroundguidingmeans mounted on the outer end ing said opening and having Walls adaptedof said pipe. v lo to embrace the end of a spring, of :L taper- Intestimony whereof I aiiix my signature ing coiled spring having itslarger end seatin presence of tWo Witnesses.

. ed in `said seat, a fluid pipe engaging the JOSEPH V. ROBINSON.

small end only of said spring whereby the Witnesses: pipe is sustainedyieldingly in a horizontal i J. A. WATSON, position by the spring, andpin and funnel ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

